Improvement in music-leaf turners



J. B. GEYSER.

Music Leaf Turners.

N0. 38,631, Patented May 6,1873.

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'are placed. vtwo projecting lugs, E E, through which holes yare drilledfor the pin, upon which the vibrat- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. GEYSER, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN MUSIC-LEAF TURNERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 138,631, dated May 6,1873; application filed January 3, 1873.

To all whomt't may concern: Be it known that I, JOHN B. GEYSER, ofPittsburg, county of Alleghenyand State of Pennsylvania, have invented acertain Music- Raek and Leaf-Turner, intended as an attachment to pianosand other instruments, as well as for use as a music-stand forperformers on the violin, Ste., of which the following is aspecification Y The whole of my invention relates to the holding ofmusic-leaves and books firmlyy and securely, and the turning of theleaves of the same quickly and safely, and so as to avoid any annoyanceor delay to the performer, thus making it much easier and more pleasantto execute a piece.

Figure lis a front elevation of the article I have invented. Fig. 2 is avertical center section of the same.

The other figures are detail views of working parts.

By reference to the letters and figures upon the drawing the followingdescription will be understood. v

The letters mark t-he same parts in the different views.

A A is the frame or bodyT of the stand or rack. It is, as well as allthe minor parts, made of metal. The under side is dished, so as tofurnish room for the working part-s. It may be made either plain orornamental, as may be desired, and plated with any costly metal. In thecenter is a vertical groove, B, which serves for a guide to thebinding-rod, and also aids it in getting a secure hold upon the leavesor book placed between them. At the bottom ofthe groove is a L- shapedopening, which admits a slide, to which'the binding-rod is pivoted.Below this is a recess, D, in which the working parts ofthe machine Atthe center of this recess are ing arms move. At each end of the frameare projecting points or pivots F F, which serve to fasten, by means ot'suitable lugs, the frame to a piano or other instrument. These pivotscan be placed higher on the sides of the frame, or arranged tosuit thedifferent instruments to which it may be fastened, the use of the pivotsbeing to allow of the frame movin-g in a segment of a circle, as thosein present use on the piano do. On the inside of the frame are two lugs,G G, by means of which a branch may be attaehed; said branch to fit intoa tripod, and thus form a music-stand for la performer on the violin orother hand instrument. On the face of the frame on 'each side, and on alevel with the slide of the binding-rod, are two projections, R R, whichserve to support the ends of the music-leaves or book. H is thebinding-rod, of an L-shape, pivoted'at the corner of the long arm intothe sliding piece I. This slide is furnished with wings C C', whichserve to prevent it going too far through, and also enables theperformer to seize it with his lingers and adjust the binding rod to thesize of the book being held. The short arm of the binding-rod isoperated upon by the spring J, which holds the binding-rod and slidingpiece securely to their work, and also admits of a parallel adjustmentof the rod to the face of the frame, so as to permit it to obtain a gripalong its whole length. The spring is lirmly fastened to the body of theframe by the screws b b. K K K are the sliding rack-bars, by means ofwhich the motion is communica-ted to the vibrating arms. These rack-barsare of varying lengths, and so adjusted to one another that when one isstruck it will accomplish its movement without interfering with theothersin the nest. Their extremities turn downward and outward, endingin a fingerkey, L L, by which they are operated. These keys can be madeof any desired shape; and I do not confine myself to any particularform. At the base of the keys there is a slot, m mf, in the bars, intowhich the edge of the lockbar N lits, and holds the whole of them in therecess D, acting as a guide at the same time. This lock-bar is securedby the pin O and by passing the ends under the face of the frame. Thepin O also serves as a pivot for the vibrating arms l? P I?, which haveon their butt ends a segment of a pinion Working into the teeth of thesliding rack-bar, above which they are hung, and from them obtain amotion moving the arms from one side of the frame to the other. Into theouter end of the arms P two Wires, Q,.are permanently fastened in avertical position. One of these wires is a little shorter than theother, so as to readily admit of the insertion of the leaf of music. Thearms are also of constantly-increasing length, which admits of theupright wires passing one another and lying closely together. O is thecenter or pivot pin on which the arms work. It has a countersunk head,and is passed through the lugs E E, the vibrating arms and the lock-barN thus binding all the working parts together. On the righthand side ofthe frame, and directly beneath the projection R, is hung an L-shapedlatch, S. It is pivoted by means of ascrew, at a, to the main body ofthe frame, and its use is to hold the vibrating arms from fallingoutward when the frame is turned face downward, as in closing a piano.This is accomplished by turning the vibrating arms all to the right, andturning the latch on its pivot up and over them.

In the drawing only three rack-bars and vibrating arms are shown 5 thenumber can be increased according to the size of the machine. Ordinarilya set of six will be sufficient; but I do not desire to be confined toany definite number, as they will vary according to work required.

I have stated previously in this description that all parts of themachine were made of metal, but it is apparent that the body of theframe can be made of wood, if so desired; and I claim the use of eithermaterial for that purpose.

How to Set the Machine Together.

Place in the recess D the sliding racks K in their proper position; theninsert the lockbar F, passing one end under the right-hand side of theframe until the other end passes under the left-hand side; then bring itback to the center hole of the pin O; now place the vibrating arms Peach in its place, with the upright wires to the right; then insert thepin 0 through the upper lug E, the hole in which is countersunk so as toallow the head of the pin to come to a level with its upper surface;push the pin down through the vibrating arms, lock the bar and lowerlug, and the working-parts are all fastened together. Now take thebinding-rod H, pass the small arm and the slide thereof through theopening C in the frame; turn the frame over, and, placing the spring Junder the small arm of the binding-rod, fasten it to the body of theframe by the two screws b b', and the machine is ready for use.

To take it apart, take off the spring first, and then continuejust thereverse ofthe above described proceedure.

Mode of Operation.

Take hold of the top of binding-bar H; draw it forward as far as it willcome; then slip between it and the groove B the musicleaves or book,having the same open at the middle of the piece you wish to play 5 letgo the rod and the spring will cause it to ily backseize, and hold theleaves 5 the lower edge of the leaves should now be a little below thetop of the wires Q; now adjust" the leaves to be turned, putting thefirst between the wires of the topmost vibrating arm, and so on; whenall are arranged draw it down until the edge of the leaves are on thesliding piece I. Play, and when you wish to turn the first leaf, putyour thumb or fin ger on the key L on the right-hand side, and numberedl, give this a push from left toward the right of about three-fourths ofan inch, and the rack acting on the pinion of the vibrating arm willcause the leaf to turn over at once. When the next leaf is to be turnedstrike the next finger-key, and so on. When all are turned, should it bedesired to bring them back to start anew, all that is necessary is tostrike either of the keys marked 1 from the right toward the left, andall of the leaves will, at one motion, resume their first position.

Having thus described the construction and operation of my machine, Iclaim as my invention- 1. The combination of the dished frame or rack Awith the groove B, vertical in its center, the opening G at the base ofgroove, and the recess D with the two lugs E E, projecting from itscenter, and the projections R R on the sides ofthe frame, together withthe pivots F F and the lugs G G, or their equivalents, substantially asand for the purposes hereinbcfore set forth.

2. The hooked binding-rod H, pivoted to the sliding piece I and operatedby the spring J, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore setforth.

3. The sliding piece I having the wings e e and slot for the receptionof the bindingrod, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore setforth.

4t. The sliding rack-bars K with their extremities turning downward andoutward, ending in the finger-keys L, and having the slots m for thereception of the lock-bar, substantially as and for the purposehereinbcfore set forth.

5. The vibrating arms P, in combination with the latch S or itsequivalent, secured to the frame by means of the screw af, substantiallyas and for the purpose hereinbcfore set forth. l

6. The lockbar N, in combination with the pin O, substantially as andfor the purpose hereinbcfore set forth.

7. The combination of the subject-matter of the foregoing clauses ofclaim, the whole forming a music rack or stand and a leaf-turner,substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

JOHN B. GEYSER.

Witnesses:

B. FALLows, Jas. A. MAHAFFEY.

